


But for the Grace of Savannah

by Monophthong (Slashzilla)



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Romance, i read too much Tami Hoag as a kid, kind of a police procedural
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-16
Updated: 2014-11-15
Packaged: 2018-02-25 13:38:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2623688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slashzilla/pseuds/Monophthong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When bad things started happening to Savannah Harford, she didn’t think anything of them at first. Everyone’s car gets broken into once or twice, right? Sometimes people get flat tires out of the blue. And when your business is one of the most popular places in town, punk teenagers are sure to target it for some quick cash. But when her apartment building burns down and the fire department rules it arson, the small things start adding up in Savannah’s mind.</p>
<p>Detective Grace Martinson doesn’t believe in coincidence. She believes in facts. And the singular fact of Savannah Harford’s case, in Grace’s mind, is that someone is trying to kill her. In an effort to protect her, Grace invites Savannah to move into her home, after the complete loss of Savannah’s apartment, while she tries to answer the question of who, exactly, has Savannah in their crosshairs.</p>
<p>In retrospect, this might have been a bad idea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But for the Grace of Savannah

**Author's Note:**

> This my 2014 NaNo project. Hopefully, posting it keeps me on task and keeps me writing.

Savannah could do nothing but sit on the back of the ambulance and watch her apartment building burn to the ground. The fire department was hard at work, attempting to keep the blaze from spreading to neighboring buildings, but Savannah knew that her apartment, and all of the things in it, was a lost cause.

 

Fortunately, when she had been rudely awoken by the fire alarm out in the hall, Savannah had thought to shove her cat into his carrier, and grab her purse and laptop. Otherwise, she really would be screwed. Not only did her laptop contain her entire life, but it also contained her inventory and payroll lists for Beignets and Bindings, her bookstore and her sister’s bakery. Unfortunately, she had taken too long to get out of the building and so had taken in too much smoke.

 

“We really need to load up and get going. Ma’am, if you could stand up so we can get you into the back?” The paramedics were convinced that Savannah needed to go to the hospital for observation.

 

“How about no.” Savannah said firmly as she removed the oxygen mask. “I’m fine, and I have to call my sister, even though she won’t thank me for it at 2 in the morning. Can someone find me a phone?”

 

“Ma’am, we really have to insist that you go to a hospital. We can’t tell how much damage your lungs have taken from here.” The paramedic was very calm and wasn’t taking no for an answer.

 

Savannah was getting fed up. “I told you, I’m fine. If I get a cough or feel crappy, I’ll go to my regular doctor. In the meantime, there are other people here who need more help than I do. Why don’t you see to them?” Savannah gathered up her things as she spoke, dead-set on leaving.

 

“Actually, Ms. Harford, I’m going to need you to come with me down to the station.”

 

Savannah stopped what she was doing, took a deep breath, and turned around to look at the woman who had just ruined all of her plans. “And just who might you be?” She asked, as she put her hands on her hips.

 

“Detective Grace Martinson, with the Aria County Police Department.” Detective Martinson was slightly taller than Savannah, with wavy brunette hair tied back into a loose ponytail. She wore black slacks and had a rumpled white blouse tucked into it. Her face was pale, and she had a narrow nose and a square jaw.

 

“And just why do you need me to go with you? I am tired, homeless as of about 20 minutes ago, and still need to get in contact with Reggie, if she hasn’t already seen this mess on the news. I don’t know anything about what started the fire. I just know that about a half hour ago, the fire alarm went off and I grabbed my stuff and ran downstairs. So I really don’t have anything to say to you, Detective.” Savannah was embarrassed to find herself on the brink of tears.

 

Savannah closed her eyes and took another deep breath, ignoring the tickle at the back of her throat. She wasn’t going to give the paramedics any excuse to cart her off to the hospital. Savannah merely stood there, breathed, and tried to push back her frustration.

 

“Ma’am,” Savannah opened her eyes when Detective Martinson spoke again. “I’m very sorry about this, but I do need you to come with me.”

 

“Fine.” Savannah said briskly as she began to gather her meager belongings. “But you can carry Mr. Buttons.” She held the cat carrier out to the detective. “Be careful, he gets motion sick.” She smiled, tight and close-mouthed, and began walking toward the cruisers she could see in the distance.

 

Detective Martinson held the cat carrier away from her body and rolled her eyes. “This is going to be fun,” She muttered as she followed behind Savannah.

 

“I heard that!” Savannah called over her shoulder.

 

Detective Martinson quickly caught up with Savannah at the circle of police cruisers. “This one is mine, Ms. Harford,” She said as she opened the back passenger door and placed the cat carrier on the seat. “I can put your laptop back here as well, if you’d like to have a seat in the front.”

 

“Please be careful with that—it literally has my entire life on it.” Savannah said as she handed her laptop bag off to the detective.

 

Belongings stowed away in the back seat, Detective Martinson moved to get behind the wheel of the cruiser. Savannah was already in the passenger seat with her purse in her lap. She looked at the cruiser’s dashboard with interest—she had never been in a cop car before.  The detective had already pulled out of the apartment complex parking lot by the time Savannah was able to draw her eyes away from all the buttons on the dashboard.

 

“Are you ever going to tell me what this is about?” She asked. “And when will I be able to call my sister?”

 

“You’ll be able to call whoever you want to once we get to the station,” Detective Martinson said, glancing over at Savannah. “While I do apologize for my abruptness at the scene, I would prefer to wait until we’re safely within an interview room before we discuss the situation.”

 

“That’s not going to work,” Savannah immediately insisted. “I don’t know what you want, and until I can get in contact with Reggie, I don’t know where I’m going to live. What I do know, however, is that I’m the only person you pulled away from the so-called ‘scene’,” Savannah was feeling aggravated enough to even do air-quotes, “and I want to know why.” Savannah finished, breathing heavily.

 

“Fine, if you can’t wait.” The detective pauses for a moment in order to change lanes.   
“The fire chief at the scene informed me that he believed the fire to be arson. My partner and I have reason to believe that your life is in danger due to a stalker. My partner, Detective Morrison, is now currently back at the station compiling all of the police reports you’ve filed in the last 6 months, detailing every break-in, slashed tire, and piece of graffiti painted onto your business. We believe these incidents are all connected and done by the same person. Are you satisfied now?” Detective Martinson looked over at Savannah, whose face had paled and eyes opened wide.

 

“Oh my God… Yeah. I’m satisfied.” She said quietly.

 

“You can call your sister once you are safe at the station, Ms. Harford.” Detective Martinson assured her. Savannah simply nodded and turned to look out of the window.

 

The rest of the ride to the station was spent in silence.


End file.
